Lea Ann Metting, co-owner of Sherwood Dance Academy, where Cecilia took classes, said Wednesday that parents and students were feeling the loss of the girl known for her positive attitude, work ethic and commitment.

"She was one of those girls ... who could light up a room," Metting said.

Metting wasn't one of Cecilia's instructors, but she said the girl had a reputation throughout the school as a sweet, bright student who helped focus her classmates.

"She's attentive in class, she's a hard worker, she takes correction well and applies it," Metting said. "It's not often that you see kids that age with that maturity level, and always with a smile."

Metting said she told Cecilia's mother, Kristina Buckley, several times how proud she should be of Cecilia.

The girl was disciplined in class, Metting said, but Cecilia still joked with her peers, had fun and enjoyed class.

"She wasn't gregarious," Metting said. "She was shy but confident."

Cecilia took classes at the dance school in Scottish Highland and tap. She started dancing about a year ago as a novice with no prior experience, Metting said.

Cecilia loved to dance, Metting said, and that was evident in her dedication to Scottish Highland, a difficult style of dance.

"It's too hard of a dance style to not enjoy it," she said of the Scottish Highland, a class that requires four hours of practice per week. "Why would you do it if you didn't love it?"

Metting and other dance instructors attended a private funeral held Monday at Cecilia's church.

Metting said Cecilia's classmates from Veritas School were in attendance. Cecilia belonged to Sherwood's Girl Scouts troop, and her fellow scouts also attended the service.

At the funeral, Metting said, Cecilia was described as "wise beyond her years." "And that's so true," Metting said.

Police didn't publicly identify the girl killed Thursday, June 2, until Tuesday. But Metting and others learned through Facebook June 3 that Cecilia was the Sherwood child who police said died suspiciously.

That day, Cecilia's Scottish Highland class, a small group of girls who are mostly close in age to Cecilia, was scheduled for a two-hour practice. The girls' instructor called each of their parents, relaying the news.

The class still met Friday, June 3, and continues to practice for the school's upcoming spring recital. But, Metting said, maintaining a sense of normalcy in the studio has been a challenge.

TV news crews showed up to the dance school the day after the homicide, so students who didn't dance with Cecilia also learned of her death quickly.

"The girls did ask me, 'Why's the news here?'" Metting said. "I said, 'A terrible thing has happened to Cecilia, and it's my job to help honor her and tell people what a wonderful friend she was.'"

As someone touched by Cecilia's life, Metting said, she feels compelled to share her memory of a girl with so much potential.

"I want people to know she was special and she was important, and she was so loved and valued."